Ross McGrath, Sony Computer Entertainment
Europe (SCEE) PlayStation Plus content manager, also tweeted last week:
"By the way, if you don't have a PS+ subscription, now is the time to get one.
For real. Just get 3 months if you aren't sure. Trust me." This tweet could
imply that cloud gaming is coming for
PlayStation Plus (PS+) subscribers.

They further write that the acquisition has implications for all parts of Sony’s business, both in the consumer tech and console divisions. Though Sony is quite far underway with the work on the PS4, they are very keen on bringing PlayStation content to non-console owners – a move finally made possible by this cloud gaming deal. There could be benefits for console users, too, with gaming content likely to be available when on the move and without the need for a direct connection to the console.

They also write that the Sony cloud gaming deal should make the fact clear that the digital gaming revolution is not a distant dream, as it's happening now. This should have obvious and colossal implications for games retail.

OnLive has positioned their service as a
closed off console like platform in the gaming cloud. The Netflix like all-you-can-eat OnLive PlayPack games bundle could be a great
supplement and a large boost for the ailing PS+ subscription service. Playing high-end PC
games would also be great for console gamers.

OnLive games play great on the Sony Xperia PLAY, but
playing high-end PC games on the gorgeous PS VitaOLED screen with the better controls of the PS Vita would be nothing short of breathtaking
and would certainly boost PS Vita's reputation and
sales numbers.

At the start of this article I wrote news came out that Gaikai has sent out invitations to a presentation at E3, where the potential future of video games, game consoles and how we play will be unveiled. This led some to believe that Gaikai is the cloud gaming company which Sony will partner with. Of course this invitation by Gaikai and the
'coincidental' leak of it could also be a diversion, and their announcements
at E3 will be of a different nature, like a partnership with Microsoft.

Gaikai has positioned
themselves as an open white-labelcloud gaming service, which would speak against an acquisition by Sony, as it's important for Gaikai to be neutral to be viable as a cloud gaming hosting service for other companies. But plans can change fast and Gaikai certainly needs a large and powerful ally with a name like Sony, if they want to grow fast.

Getting streamed cloud games demos on the
PS3 and PS Vita would certainly be great for gamers,
as they could start gaming right away and wouldn't have to wait a long time
until a game demo is downloaded. Gaikai cloud games
demos could also be a great supplement and a large boost for the ailing PS+ subscription service and playing high-end
PC games via Gaikai on the gorgeous PS VitaOLED screen with the better controls of the PS Vita would also be nothing short of
breathtaking and would certainly boost PS Vita's reputation and sales numbers.

Gaikai also has plans in the mobile arena, as
evidenced by their announcement that
their cloud gaming network will be available on the
world's first gaming tablet, the WikiPad. So their coming
to the PS Vita would certainly fit in their mobile
strategy.

OnLiveFans has already got
responses from the PR departments of the two cloud gaming rivals. OnLive gave their usual cut-and-dry, "No
comment on this." Gaikai's response was more interesting, "There
are always rumors about companies, and cloud companies, teaming up with console
makers. Sorry we can't be of more help. If you hear of anything more, could you
let us know?" This response could mean that Gaikai doesn't know
anything about such a deal and it's indeed OnLive that will partner
with Sony. But, of course it could also be a
diversion tactic, a very simple one. But, many times it's better to keep it
simple, so what will it be, truth or lie, or rumor?

Since both cloud gaming services run Windows in their data centers, if Sony were to acquire one of them and stream cloud games from their data centers, Sony PlayStation console hardware would for the first time in history run on a Microsoft operating system, though from a far-off data center, which is at least a little amusing. Of course Sony sells PCs and laptops with Windows, so I think they could get friends with it. Or would they switch to linux or develop their own data center operating system? Who would develop games for it? I think that much arrogance or stupidity even Sony doesn't possess in the wake of their financial troubles. Running Windows would certainly put smiles on the faces of game developers, who have experienced enough problems trying to fit their games onto the PS3 Cell architecture. With Microsoft fearing antitrust litigations, I don't think they would play funny games with Windows licensing for Sony's cloud gaming data centers.

Where does Microsoft fit into all this cloud gaming speculation. There has
already been speculation that Microsoft will join forces
with OnLive or with Gaikai. And what's
with Nintendo? This year's E3 promises to be spectacular on big reveals,
but depending on what really happens, it could just be depressing. Well, the
wait will not be long.